The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-12-03
A BLACK BAG.
The Story Of a Maine Yankee and
q Professional Sharper.

There were half dozen Of u.s. and we
were killing time in q comfortable enough
hotel in q little village not far from Brattle.
boro. VT 1t was wretched night late in
November, with high, raw wind and pit
Hess rain. The sort Of night on which,
according to Tom Hood, kind.h hearted
farmer in pure pity would take in his scare.
crow. The members of the company were
strangers to one another, thrown together
by the chance Of travel. But they all
seemed sociably inclined, and as they sat
around the big fire that blazed on the ample
hearth OF the barroom, each one of them
contributed something more or less inter-
esting to the conversation. All except a
ftall, thin loose jointed fellow who sat with
his hands deep IN his trousers pockets, ap-
parentlv given over to meditation. At
length, however, something was said which
aroused him.
-. got one Of them confidence felier's
cirk'lars to-day" remarked a big, iolly
drover. ut came to Ike Blivvins, and Ike
he allowed that he didn't have no use for it
and tossed it over ter me. The cuss writes
his cirk'lar mighty cunnin'. just listen to
him." With that the drover produced the
circular from one of his pockets and read it
aloud It was the familiar tempting bait
for over-confding gudgeons. The writer
remarked that the man whom he was ad-
dressing had been mentioned to him as q
person who knew good chance to make
money when he saw it, and who also knew
how to keep his mouth shut and do business
on the quiet. Did the man want to buy
some "green goods" so we'll executed as
absolutely to defy detectionl II so, it would
be worth his while to run down to Boston
and see the writer who would treat him
fair and square and put him in the way of
making his fortune. When the droyer had
advanced thus far in his reading the tall
fellow referred to broke in with q low. rich
chuckle. The drover instantly turned to
him with the query: "Hev you been thar.
strangeran
80, go on with your reading" answered
the other, shaking with laughter as he
cpOks. s,''s 49,. !,
pleasurable anticipation, while the drover
rejoined, replacing the circular in his pock-
ct: 20, this paper amt Of no particular ac-
count, let's have your story" The tall man
hesitated, gazed straight ahead on a line
with the top OF his boots as il inquiring of
the fire whether or not he should unbosom
himself Apparently the fire seconded the
drover's request, for after little, buryinp
his hands still deeper in his pockets and
with his eyes fixed 80 intently upon the
blazing logs before him as to produce the
Impression OF onetalking to himself, he un-
folded to US this tale about Us reproduce it.
Gentlemen, I'm almost fifty years old.
What / tell you happened more than a
quarter Of century back; In fact, when /
was still youngster. Perhaps some of
the rest of you once had wild oats that YOU
were foolish enough to SOW. The worst
Use you can put wild oats to is to sow them.
But that's neither here nor there. got
ene of these ''green goods" circulars, so.
called, in the summer OF 1858. was then
living in Maine. Itcame to me from Boston
by mail. Well, ! was stripping, inexperi.
enced, greener than grass, reckless and
tolerably fond OF money. The circular ap-
pealed to my cupidity, and determined 10
slip down to Boston and see what the green
goods were like. had $4,000 in a bank in
Augusta, legacy from an aunt, and drew
gOut $1,000 before left Maine, determined
III the counterfeits were first-class 10 invest
nll OF it in them. or course was an ass.
and something worse-but let that pass.
The circular said when got to Boston
was to go to certain saloon in the south
end OF the town and inquire for Samuel
Hail. and that to prevent any mistake in
regard to who was who, on meeting Samuel
Nao W EotuIu W HiHl inc circular in the
envelope IN which IT came. l obeyed these
directions and had little dif1iculty in finding
Samuel. He wore patent leather boots and
. plug hat with Grape half way to its TOP
remember thinking he must have lately
lost relative, and thatit was u little rough
on his feelings to intrudc business upon hi.
sorrow But his manner reassured me
He greeted me with great cordiality and
presently invited mo TO go around to his
rooms and see the green goods. His rooms
proved to be at tho top OF q high building In
another part OF the town. Reaching them
he took big leather wallet from one OF hi,
pockets and spread out on tho table before
me- number of new crisp greenbacks-
fives, tens, twenties and tifties. / exam
tned them with perfect amazement, neyel
having dreamed that counterfeiting coull
be carried to such pitch OF perfection
After ] mad carefully inspected the sample,
Samuel remarked, In earnest tones:
"Now J doI't want you to take thss'